Curiosity to Connection: How Library Festivals Inspire Lifelong Engagement

Written By Angie Jameson, M.L.I.S.

In an era where students are navigating an increasingly complex world, libraries offer something both simple and essential: a place to belong. Our high school library has been on a journey to become not just a repository of books and study halls, but a thriving community hub that supports every patron’s need for connection, creativity, and camaraderie. With this mission in mind, we have crafted a series of library festivals, each designed to create an inclusive, welcoming space where students and staff can come together to celebrate shared interests, explore new activities, and simply enjoy each other's company.

The secret to our festival success lies in a formula that has repeatedly proven to draw stakeholders in and keep them coming back. Each event is built around key elements that bring warmth, fun, and meaning to the library space:

Keep the Focus on Connection

After selecting a theme, we brainstorm ideas and ways to bring new students and staff into the library. We consider student artists who would draw their peers in with graphic marketing for events and involve them in the process. We print those designs on posters to hang around the school and press shirts with designs on them for students and staff to promote the event during the registration period. We also involve students and staff in the planning of these large-scale events to bring as many voices to the table as possible. Our principal has approved coverage so different staff members can attend these events and connect with students.

A Free Drink from Our School’s Coffee Shop

Offering a complimentary drink from Tiger Perk, our school coffee shop, has been a powerful way to make students feel welcome and special. Be it a fall-themed Candy Corn drink at Spooky Fest or a "chug jug" lemonade at Gamer Fest, offering a free beverage creates a cozy, community-centered vibe that invites students to relax and enjoy the space. Our latest festival registration demonstrated that 81% of attendees were most excited about enjoying Tiger Perk. When we promote festivals by word of mouth, mentioning this popular feature sparks interest and gets students eager to register.

Music from School Bands, Choirs, and Orchestras

Music brings energy and life to our festivals, transforming the library from a quiet study space to a vibrant venue where students can appreciate their peers’ talents. Including performances from school music groups not only showcases our students’ skills but also creates an atmosphere of celebration. Students and staff gather to enjoy live music, whether it’s a chilling Halloween set by the band or a Taylor Swift showcase performed by the Orchestra. Music becomes a shared experience that builds connections across grade levels and interests, making the library a space where everyone feels included.

Partnership with the Public Library

Collaboration with our local public library has enriched each festival by bringing additional resources and expertise that enhance our offerings. Through contributions like board games for Gamer Fest and a D&D campaign at Spooky Fest, our public library partners bring added variety and engagement to our events. This partnership also exposes students to the broader library community and reinforces the idea that libraries are lifelong resources. Our joint efforts make each event feel bigger, more meaningful, and part of something beyond the walls of our school. By building connections with public librarians, students are encouraged to see the public library as a welcoming resource they can access independently. We hope these relationships inspire students to explore library programs and events during weekends or evenings when our school library is closed.

Hands-On Crafts and Activities

Offering hands-on activities like pet rocks at Creative Fest, button-making at the Taylor Swift Festival, and mini-figure painting at Gamer Fest has proven to be one of the most effective ways to engage students. These interactive stations allow students to create something unique, express themselves, and take a little piece of the festival home with them. These activities encourage attendees to work together, share ideas, and support one another’s creativity, fostering an environment where they feel connected and valued. The craft stations are always abuzz with conversation and laughter—a sign that students and staff are finding joy and belonging in the space.

A Photo booth for Lasting Memories

Finally, we’ve discovered that a simple photo booth with themed props is one of the biggest draws for students. The chance to take photos with friends, dressed up in their favorite Taylor Swift era, in costume for Halloween, or with gaming props, creates a keepsake that students can cherish and share. The photo booth is more than just a fun activity; it’s a way for students and staff to capture moments with friends, feel seen, and celebrate their individuality. 

Together, these elements have made our library festivals a success. By creating a welcoming, inclusive environment, we’re sending a clear message: the library is a place for everyone, a place where students and staff can be themselves, explore new interests, and form meaningful connections. With each festival, we’re not only celebrating our students’ diverse talents and passions but also building a stronger, more connected school community. 

Successful Festivals

Taylor Swift Festival: Bridging Pop Culture and Library Magic 

In December 2023, we embraced “Swiftie fever” with a Taylor Swift Festival that resonated with students in a big way. Students arrived dressed in their favorite Taylor “eras,” ready to pose with life-size cutouts and props in our photo booth. The event blended pop culture with creativity, allowing students to explore their personalities and interests in the library.

One hit element was our heat press station, where students brought items like sweatshirts and tote bags to personalize with Swift-inspired designs (we even added a few Travis Kelce themes). Button-making, a friendship bracelet station, and Taylor album-themed book pairings added even more ways for students to bond, craft, and explore the library’s offerings. Integrating popular music with library programs helped make the library a place students wanted to be. The high school orchestra club learned a Taylor Swift set and played a showcase during the event. The student coffee shop created a drink called “SwiftTEA” for all to enjoy. 

Gamer Fest: Gaming and Connection for All 

February’s 2024 Gamer Fest was our highest-attended festival yet, with students flocking to the library to game, create, and connect. The library became a mini gaming convention, with tabletop games provided by our local public library, a photo booth, and a DIY station for creating custom Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon cards. The day wasn’t limited to digital gaming; we made sure to include everything from consoles to board games, creating an inclusive event with something for everyone.

To personalize the experience, we offered a heat press station with student-designed logos (a big thank you to our student artists!). Students loved decorating their gear and receiving custom dice bags for their gaming essentials. Our Tiger Perk Coffee Shop even joined in with themed “chug jugs” for an extra boost of excitement. Collaborating with the public library helped broaden our offerings and served as a reminder that our libraries are stronger together.

Creative Fest: A Hands-On Art Extravaganza 

April’s 2024 Creative Fest celebrated hands-on artistry, giving students a chance to dive into embroidery, tie-dye, and other creative crafts. We provided supplies for each station, where students customized shirts, bags, and more, offering a space for students to connect and have a creative outlet. Creative Fest showed how libraries can cater to diverse student interests while building a community of creators. The energy in the library that day was infectious, with students supporting each other and sharing their unique visions for the various offerings. The festival also gave students who may not see themselves as “traditional” library users a reason to visit, reinforcing our commitment to inclusivity.

Spooky Fest: Halloween Fun Meets Library Tradition 

October’s 2024 Spooky Fest was a hauntingly fun way to bring the school together and celebrate Halloween. Students got into the spirit with a costume contest, photo booth, and a special “Spooky Showcase” from our talented band members. The atmosphere was full of excitement as students gathered to enjoy free candy-corn-flavored drinks from Tiger Perk and try out Halloween-inspired crafts. One of our favorite parts of Spooky Fest was our collaboration with the public library on a Halloween D&D one-shot, inspired by Five Nights at Freddy’s. This brought a unique, immersive experience to the day and attracted students who might not typically engage with library programming. The event was capped off by a visit from a professional makeup artist who works in the Career Tech program offered on our campus, giving students some extra theatrical flair for their costumes and a chance to meet a potential future teacher.  Overall, Spooky Fest highlighted how seasonal events can allow libraries to celebrate culture and tradition while making the library feel like a natural gathering place.

Why Library Festivals? Building Community Through Connection and Creativity

Hosting these festivals has transformed our library into a true community hub. By creating a variety of themed events, we were able to connect with students who might not otherwise visit the library. These festivals allowed students to explore different aspects of themselves – whether through music, gaming, fashion, or creativity – and gave them a space to make friends, be themselves, and enjoy the library as a place of discovery.

As librarians, we know that fostering community is just as important as promoting literacy and other facets of the job. Through these festivals, we’ve created a safe and inclusive space where students and staff feel welcome, engaged, and inspired. We hope to keep evolving these events, staying in tune with our students’ interests, and building a library that truly reflects the diversity and creativity of our school.

If you’re considering giving a festival a go, I suggest you lean into what your students love and find small ways to make it a celebration of who they are. Include your students and staff in the planning and facilitation of your festivals. Plan as much ahead as you can and leverage local grants to fund your first few events. The icing on the cake is in the small details that make the events so special, and those require careful planning and collaboration.